McAdenville not likely to change light display hours

Published: Friday, January 4, 2013 at 05:22 PM.

McAdenville’s annual Christmas lights display attracts an estimated 600,000 people who come to gaze at the illuminated splendor.

But this year, a big increase in pedestrian traffic through town caused traffic to slow, with cars being turned away on busy nights before people could drive through town.

Police officers are stationed in town to help with the flow of pedestrians and cars but that isn’t resolving the issue.

Mel Collins, vice president of human resources at Pharr Yarns, said there are only so many cars that can go through town during the times when bulbs are illuminated. Unfortunately, some people are turned away but increasing the number of hours the lights stay on isn’t likely to happen.

During December, the lights are illuminated Monday through Friday from 5:30-9:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 5:30-11 p.m. The lights are controlled by more than 30 timers throughout town and Collins said he doesn’t foresee any change in the schedule.

During weekdays, they’re switched off to accommodate Pharr employees at a 10 p.m. shift change. On weekends, lights are cut off at 11 p.m. for courtesy to residents along the route needing rest and relaxation. Collins said the town of McAdenville, state of North Carolina and Gaston County pay for police presence.

“There was just a literal explosion in the number of people who decided to drive into town, park, walk, avoid the long (car) lines as much as possible, really to experience the McAdenville lights on foot,” he said. “With the huge increase in pedestrian traffic, it definitely slowed the flow of vehicular traffic through town.”

McAdenville’s annual Christmas lights display attracts an estimated 600,000 people who come to gaze at the illuminated splendor.

But this year, a big increase in pedestrian traffic through town caused traffic to slow, with cars being turned away on busy nights before people could drive through town.

Police officers are stationed in town to help with the flow of pedestrians and cars but that isn’t resolving the issue.

Mel Collins, vice president of human resources at Pharr Yarns, said there are only so many cars that can go through town during the times when bulbs are illuminated. Unfortunately, some people are turned away but increasing the number of hours the lights stay on isn’t likely to happen.

During December, the lights are illuminated Monday through Friday from 5:30-9:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 5:30-11 p.m. The lights are controlled by more than 30 timers throughout town and Collins said he doesn’t foresee any change in the schedule.

During weekdays, they’re switched off to accommodate Pharr employees at a 10 p.m. shift change. On weekends, lights are cut off at 11 p.m. for courtesy to residents along the route needing rest and relaxation. Collins said the town of McAdenville, state of North Carolina and Gaston County pay for police presence.

“There was just a literal explosion in the number of people who decided to drive into town, park, walk, avoid the long (car) lines as much as possible, really to experience the McAdenville lights on foot,” he said. “With the huge increase in pedestrian traffic, it definitely slowed the flow of vehicular traffic through town.”

On weekend nights as Christmas Day approaches, the attraction experiences a surge in spectators.

“Sometimes it’s kin to how much you can put through a soda straw because it’s a two-lane road,” he said. “You’ve got one Christmas light route, down Main Street and up Wesleyan (Drive). The number of people you can accommodate on sidewalks is finite, it’s limited.”

A survey tabulated in 2003 by a UNC Charlotte economist indicated 600,000 people came through town in December to see the lights.

“I would speculate that the number is reasonably constant,” he said. “With the amount of time that the lights are on, just the traffic capacity of the two lanes going through town, that’s about all that can flow through McAdenville in December.”

Still, cars line up for miles and many are turned away after waiting for hours because the lights are switched off. There is no charge to see the display, unlike other holiday attractions in the region.

“We hate to see people still in line when the lights go out,” Collins said. “There are limits to how many people can physically flow through McAdenville, particularly on the busiest nights.”

Gazette reporter Wade Allen can be reached at 704-869-1828; twitter.com/gazettewade.